Decorative anchor elastic fabric tape

ABSTRACT

A DECORATIVE ANCHOR ELASTIC FABRIC TAPE, PARTICULARLY FOR USE AROUND THE LEG OPENING OF A GARMENT COMPRISING A WOVEN STRIP OF FABRIC HAVING A SMOOTH FACE DEVOID OF ORNAMENTATION ON WHICH IS APPLIED A SERIES OF BEADS OF ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE TAPE IN LATERALLY SPACED RELATION, THE OTHER SURFACE OF THE TAPE HAVING ORNAMENTATION IN THE FORM OF BOTH WARPWISE AND FILLINGWISE FLOATS, THE FABRIC HAVING EMBEDDED THEREIN ELASTOMERIC WARP YARNS WHICH CAUSE RELAXATION OF THE WARPWISE FLOATS WHICH THEREFORE PROJECT OUTWARDLY FROM THE ORNAMENTAL FACE. THE PATTERN EFFECT PRODUCED BY THE WARPWISE FLOATS WHICH THEREFORE PROJECT OUTWARDLY FROM THE ORNAMENTAL FACE. THE PATTERN EFFECT PRODUCED BY THE WARPWISE FLOATS OF RELAXED YARN IS READILY DISTINGUISHABLE FROM THE PATTERN EFFECT PRODUCED BY THE FILLINGWISE FLOATS OF YARN WHICH ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THE CONTRACTILE FORCES OF THE EMBEDDED ELASTIC WARPS. THE DIFFERENCE IN PATTERN EFFECTS IS AMPLIFIED BY THE USE OF A TEXTURED YARN IN THE WARPWISE FLOATS OF THE PATTERN WHICH IS CAPABLE OF BULKING UPON RELAXATION, AND THE USE OF A NON-TEXTURED LUSTROUS YARN IN THE FILLINGWISE FLOATS. THE DIFFERENT PATTERN EFFECT IS FURTHER ENHANCED WHEN THE FABRIC IS DYED.

June 22, 1971 R. T. sPlLLANE 3,536,595

DECORATIVE ANCHOR ELASTIC FABRIC TAPE mea not. 28, 1969 FIGA.

INVENTOR: ROBERT T SPI LLANE /zY//WWMY/ ATTYS United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 161-77 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A decorative anchor elastic fabric tape, particularly for use around the leg opening of a garment comprising `a woven strip of fabric having a smooth face devoid of ornamentation on which is applied a series of beads lof elastomeric material extending longitudinally of the tape in laterally spaced relation, the other surface of the tape having ornamentation in the form of both warpwise and fillingwise fioats, the fabric having embedded therein elastomeric warp yarns which cause relaxation of the warpwise floats which therefore project outwardly from the ornamental face. The pattern effect produced by the warpwise iioats of relaxed yarn is readily distinguishable from the pattern effect produced by the iillingwise floats of yarn which are not affected by the contractile forces of the embedded elastic warps. The difference in pattern effects is amplified by the use of a textured yarn in the warpwise iioats of the pattern which is capable of bulking upon relaxation, and the use of a non-textured lustrous yarn in the fillingwise fioats. The different pattern effect is further enhanced when the fabric is dyed.

The present invention relates to narrow fabrics and has particular application to decorative anchor elastics which are adapted to be sewn into the leg opening of a garment so as to circumscribe the leg for the performance of the anchoring function.

Prior to the present invention, when it was desired to produce a pattern effect having a high degree of contrast between different areas of the pattern, it was believed necessary to employ contrasting warp yarns, or filling yarns as the case may be, which in themselves provided the desired contrast. When weaving warp patterns using contrasting warp yarns, it is necessary to bury the domant pattern warp Within the body of the fabric between the pattern areas where the warp is active. In fabrics where the contrasting patterns are aligned warpwise, the burying of the dormant pattern warp imparts considerable additional bulk to the fabric which, in many cases, renders the fabric less pleasing in tactile or other properties. To overcome the problem of providing a double pattern warp system throughout the width of the fabric, the designer may produce a pattern in which warpwise alignment of the contrasting pattern effects is avoided. In his manner, the contrasting pattern warps may be threaded in alteration across the width of the fabric thereby reducing the bulkiness imparted to the fabric. Obviously this procedure limits the design flexibility and restricts the pattern variations which are possible.

Contrasting filling patterns are normally obtained in a multi-shuttle loom in which the shuttles are changed when a contrasting filling pattern is desired. Multi-shuttle looms add considerably to the -operating cost and are not economically practical in narrow fabric looms.

With the foregoing in mind, the present invention provides contrasting pattern effects by the use of a combination of warpwise fioat pattern effects with fillings float pattern effects in an elasic fabric which is w-oven so as to stretch in the warpwise direction.

The present invention enables enhancement of the contrasting pattern effects by the use of yarns of different character in the pattern warp and the filling respectively, the character of the warp being chosen to cooperate with the warpwise elasticity of the fabric.

More specifically, the present invention contemplates the production of novel pattern effects in a woven fabric which is elastic in the warpwise direction by the use of pattern Warps of textured yarn in combination with filling yarn of a lustrous character such that when the fabric is woven, the elasticity in the warpwise direction effecting bulking of the warpwise floats of textured yarn to provide a matte effect in the warpwise patterns without detracting from the lustrous effect in the fillingwise patterns.

All of the objects of the invention are more fully set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a representation of the face of a fabric embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a back view of the fabric shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the fabrics shown in FIGS. l and 2;

FIG. 4 is a selected portion of the pattern design showing in check paper diagram the weave construction;

FIG. 5 is a warpwise taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a iillingwise section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, the narrow elastic fabric illustrated therein comprises a strip 10 of fabric having a substantially plain ground pattern 11 extending from one selvage 12 to the other selvage 13. The selvage 13 is provided with a decorative picot-edge effect by means of filling loops 14 which project from the edge of the ground pattern 11. Along the length of the fabric, and disposed centrally therein are a series of spot pattern effects 16 which, in the present instance, provide :a matte finish as indicated. A secondary pattern effect 17 interconnects the spot patterns 16, and in `the present instance the pattern effect 17 exhibits a lustrous finish which contrasts with the matte finish of the pattern spots 16. As indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3 the pattern effect 17 comprises filling floats lying flush on the ground fabric 11, whereas the spot patterns 16 comprise warp fioats which project from the face of the fabric. The elevation of the warp floats in the pattern 16 from the surface is the result of the incorporation in the fabric 10 of elastic yarns which tend to contract the fabric warpwise after weaving so as to cause the warpwise fioats to stand out from the face of the fabric as indicated in FIG. 3. In the present instance, the fabric does nto have any substantial tendency to contrast weftwise, and thus the filling fioats in the pattern effect 17 tend to lie fiush on the surfaces of the ground pattern 11.

The elastic nature of the fabric 10 contributes to the ancho'ring function of the strip and this anchoring function is performed primarily by a series of beads of elastomeric material which are bonded to the fabric and extend longitudinally thereon in substantially-parallel spaced array on the smooth back surface of the fabric. In the present instance, the beads 21 are separated longitudinally into a plurality of segments by means of uniformly spaced indentations 22 which interrupt the continuity of the elastomeric material at the outermost parts of the beads which engage the underlying surface, usually a stocking on the leg, without impairing the continuous gripping effect about the circumference of the leg. The material of the beads 21 is preferably elastomeric in nature and is applied so as not to substantially inhibit the stretchability o'f the elastic fabric 10 to which the beads 2'1 are bonded. A foamed neoprene latex composition has been found to function efficiently and effectively when bonded to the back face of the elastic fabric 10 in the form of the segmented beads 21. Other materials and other configurations of beds have also proved acceptable.

The novel pattern effects embodied in the tape of FIGS. 1 and 3 may be woven into the fabric by standard weaving techniques on a standard narrow-fabric loom. The patterns are formed by using pattern warps in selected reed spaces and controlling the shedding of the loorn to produce fillingwise floats from the standard filling yarn which forms a basic structural component of the woven fabric. FIG. 4 illustrates a portion of the check paper representation of the pattern illustrating the weave construction which produces the pattern effects shown at 16l and 17 in FIGS. 1 and 3. In order to more clearly illustrate the fabric construction, instead of blacking out a block of the check paper, the character or 'function of the particular warp yarn which is woven above the filling in the fabric construction is designated by a letter. As indicated in FIG. 4, the fabric is composed of a combination of elastic warps E, binder warps C and pattern warps P. The reed spacing is indicated by the brackets along the bottom of the figure and it is noted that each reed space is occupied by an elastic warp and two binder warps. In the portion of the pattern illustrated, the first three dents on the lefthand side have a single pattern warp included therein along with the elastic and binder warps. These dents correspond to the central dents of the fabric shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. In the present instance, the elastic yarn E is a covered rubber thread, the binder warps C are 40/2 cotton yarns and ythe pattern warps P are 100/2 texture nylon yarns. The filling yarns F are 450` bright rayon.

With reference to FIGS. 4, and 6, the design shown in FIG. 4 provides a spot warp pattern, for example a portion of the pattern 16, by causing the pattern warps P to float on the face of the fabric as indicated 'at 31 by the broken lines in FIG. 4 and by full lines in FIG. 5. It is noted that the warp floats 31 are disposed in adjacent dents or reed spaces so that they lie alongside one another in the fabric on the loom. It is noted that the elastic warps E are buried within the body of the fabric construction between the filling yarns F. When the fabric is permitted to relax following the weaving operation, the weaving tension applied to the elastic yarns E is relieved so that the yarns E tend to contract the fabric warpwise. The contractile forces o'f the elastic yarns cause the warp floats 31 to stand out from the face of the fabric and to permit relaxation of the yarn in the float so as to develop bulk. The bulkiness developed in the warp floats causes the pattern yarns P to expand in diameter so as to provide full coverage in the pattern area. The bulking of the pattern yarns develops a crimp in fthe filaments of the yarn which diffuses the light received thereby so as to provide a matte finish in the pattern area. In the area of the fabric where the pattern yarns P do not appear as floats on the face, these yarns are interwoven with the filling yarns F as shown in FIG. 5, and the interweaving of the pattern yarns P retards the development of any bulk in the yarns.

The design illustrated in FIG. 4 also provides filling floats indicated at 32 by broken lines in FIG. 4 and by full lines in FIG. 6. The filling floats extend over a plurality of reed spaces in the woven fabric, lying above both of the binder warps C in each reed space. The elongated run of the filling yarn on the surface of the face of the fabric, due to the tension condition of the yarn, provides a lustrous pattern effect. It should be noted that the presence of the elastic yarn in the illustrated weave construction provides a warpwise contractile force which tends to position the filling yarns F `alternately above and below the elastic yarns E, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In the present instance, the floats 32 are formed with the upper filling yarns. The lower filling yarns F do not float on the back of the fabric, but are regularly interwoven with the binder warps C to produce a plain back on the fabric. In the present design, the filling floats on the face of the fabric are spaced apart by at least one upper filling yarn and two lower filling yarns so that the pattern effect is characterized by distinct weftwise or fillingwise lines as indicated at 17 in FIG. 1.

Because o'f the different tension conditions in the warpwise and filling wise floats respectively, the character of the pattern effect produced by a warpwise and fillingwise float will be different. In the present instance, the difference in character is further emphasized by the fact that the warpwise floats are formed by the textured nylon pattern warps whereas the fillingwise floats are formed by the bright rayon filling yarns. The difference in character is further emphasized upon dyeing of the fabric after weaving. When dyed, the cellulosic character of the fillingwise floats accepts the dye to a greater extent than the textured nylon pattern warps, and thus the fillingwise floats exhibit a deeper hue than the warpwise floats. The deeper hue is also apparent in the filling loops 14 which form the decorative picot edge at the selvage 13. In the ground pattern, the tight interweaving of the filling yarn and the binder warps restricts the ability of these yarns in the ground pattern to accept the dye and thus the ground pattern assumes a lighter hue than the filling floats despite the fact that both the filling yarns and the binder warps are cellulosic in character.

If an even greater distinction is required between the warp floats and the filling floats, the composition of the pattern warps and filling yarns may be selected to obtain a cross-dyeing effect by the use of a suitable selective dyestuff. It is noted that the elastomeric beads on the back face of the fabric are of a latex composition which is not receptive to most dyestuffs. Thus when the fabric is dyed, the elastomeric beads will normally retain their original color, which is usually white due to the incorporation in the elastomeric material of a white pigment or other whitening agent.

It should be noted that the present invention enables the production of a decorative narrow fabric having contrasting pattern effects in a highly efficient and effective manner. One effect is obtained by the use of warp floats from pattern warps which are caused to relax by the incorporation in the fabric of elastic yarns. Another contrasting effect is obtained by bringing the standard filling yarns including pattern yarns having less stretch and refillingwise floats contrast with the warpwise floats primarily because of the difference in tension condition in the finished fabric. These floats furthermore differ in effect from the ground fabric in lwhich the filling yarns are interwoven regularly with the pattern warps as well as the binder warps, the filling yarns being disposed in two levels above and below the elastic yarn so as to bury the elastic yarn within the center of the fabric and render it substantially invisible on either the face or the back. In the design shown in FIG. 4, the filling yarn passes below all of the elastic yarns in the rightward traverse of the shuttle from the left to the right shuttle position and passes above the elastic yarns in the leftward traverse of the shuttle from the right to the left shuttle position. Furthermore, the bulking of the textured warp yarn between the floats is controlled against bulking by threading the pattern warps between the oppositely-acting pair of binder warps in each dent. Of course other weaving procedures may be employed to produce the desired effect.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been herein illustrated and described, it is not intended to limit the invention to such disclosure but changes and modifications may be made therein and thereto within the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A decorative fabric anchor tape comprising a base fabric of narrow width having warp and filling yarns, and gripping elements bonded to the under surface of said base fabric and comprising beads of elastomeric material extending transversely to filling yarns, selected warp yarns comprising elastomeric material having sufiicient stretch and recovery to provide a gripping force on the body when said narrow fabric is stretched therearound, said warp yarns including pattern yarns having less stretch and recovery than said elastomeric warps, said pattern yarns being fioated over a plurality of filling yarns in selected spot a-reas to produce warpwise floats of a given character, said filling yarns including floats extending over a plurality of warp yarns on the upper surface of said base fabric, said filling fioats being of a character different from said warpwise oats. y

2. A tape according to claim 1 wherein said pattern warp yarns are relaxed in the finished fabric and said filling yarns are taut.

3i. A tape according to claim 1 wherein said pattern warp yarns are textured non-cellulosic yarns and said pattern filling yarns are bright lustrous cellulosic yarns.

4. A tape according to claim 1 wherein said elastomeric warp yarns are disposed in a common plane and said filling yarns are disposed in two planes respectively above and below said elastomeric warp plane, one filling plane including said filling oats and defining the upper surface of said base fabric and the other filling plane defining the under surface of said base fabric.

l5. A fabric tape according to claim 1 wherein said wa-rp yarns include binder warps disposed in oppositely- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,673,551 6/1928 Clauss 139-423 2,718,244 9/ 1955 Moore 139-423 2,804,099 8/ 1957 Sherman 139-423 3,240,656 3/ 1966 Faircloth 161-77 3,389,722 6/1968 Howard 139-423 ROBERT F. BURNETT, Primary Examiner J. J. BELL, Assistant Examiner U.S. C1. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3 586 595 Dated `)une 22, 1971 Inventor(s) Thomas Spillane It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column l, line 45, change "domant" to "dormant-- Column 1, line 56 and 57; change "alteration" to alternation-- Column 2 line 23, insert section after "warpwise" Column 4, line +2 should read as follows: --yarn to the surface to produce fllngwise floats. The-- Signed and sealed this 23rd day of November 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents 

